Even as Anurag Kashyap’s ambitious film Gangs of Wasseypur inches close to release, writer Syed Zeeshan Qadri finds himself in hot water. We hear he has been getting calls threatening him with life if he should ever return to Wasseypur.

Gangs of Wasseypur is set against the backdrop of Wasseypur, a small town near Dhanbad in Jharkhand, and revolves round the coal mafia in the region. Apparently, Qadri’s true-to-life story telling hasn’t gone down too well with some of the families involved and they are now out for revenge. As it is, the film is already in trouble with the residents of Wasseypur protesting the title as it could destroy their reputation.

A source close to Qadri told us, “Syed is currently in Mumbai however he has spent his entire life in Wasseypur. Of late, he has been getting threat calls questioning his revealing so much about the coal mafia. The intensity of the threats is such that he has been dared to try and return to his hometown. There are many reallife characters in the film although Anurag maintains it’s a work of fiction.”

The source said, “Qadri is very scared right now. He has informed Anurag, who has asked him to lie low till the film’s release. Qadri’s family is still in his hometown but he cannot go back. Maybe, they will have to shift to Mumbai. For now, he is being very careful while answering his phone calls.”

It is learnt Syed has been barred from any communication with the media by the team of Gangs of Wasseypur.